To-morrow he would ascend the buttress, traverse the ice-ridge with Walter Hine--perhaps--yes, only perhaps--and at that thought Chayne's heart stood still.

And even if he did, there were the hanging ice-cliffs above, and yet another day would pass before any alarm at his absence would be felt.

Surely, it would be the Brenva route! Garratt Skinner himself would run great risk upon this hazardous expedition--that was true.

But Chayne knew enough of the man to be assured that he would not hesitate on that account.

The very audacity of the exploit marked it out as Gabriel Strood's.